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Potato Enzyme Lab Report

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The purpose of the experiment is to investigate if changes in temperature affect the reaction rates of the potato enzyme, catechol oxidase. The enzymatic activity will be measured at three different temperatures with a spectrophotometer. The results will indicate the optimal temperate conditions for enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Introduction
Living organisms are maintained by a complex system of biochemical reactions. Nearly all of these reactions require the assistance of enzymes. Enzymes are proteins that are capable of speeding up specific chemical reactions by lowering the amount of energy needed to start the reaction. A substrate is necessary to activate an enzyme, and does so by attaching itself to a specific site on the enzyme. …show more content…

Understanding this process and how temperature impacts enzymatic reaction rates are necessary for farmers and the food industry. Optimal storage for the potato will be at a temperature that allows the least amount of enzymatic activity. This can extend the time that potatoes can be stored for future use (Hyde). The purpose of the experiment is to measure the enzymatic activity at different temperatures. These temperatures will be: 0°C, 40°C, and 60°C. Enzymes typically preform the best at body temperature, or 37°C. Raising that temperature can increase the activity rate. If the temperature is too high, it can cause the enzyme to denature and not work. The enzymatic reactions were measured with a spectrophotometer. The instrument evaluates the amount of light a solution can absorb. The more opaque a solution is, the more light it can absorb. The absorption rates directly correlate with enzymatic activity, indicating that high absorption rates indicate high enzymatic activity. If the absorption rate is low, then the enzyme is failing to bind to the

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